Sir Charles ('Charlie') Chaplin

(1889-1977), Film actor and director

Sitter in 17 portraitsComic genius of early cinema; Charlie Chaplin dubbed the world's greatest clown, began his career in London's music halls. Celebrity came with his portrayal of the little tramp, with bowler hat and cane, in a series of films from 1910 to the 1920s. Films featuring his tramp character such as The Kid (1920), The Gold Rush (1925) and Modern Times (1936) became world wide classics; later films included The Great Dictator (1940) and Limelight (1952) for which he also wrote the scripts and music.

Watch a film clip on the sitter from the BBC Archive in the Media section below

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